Monarch Season 2 Review: Apple’s Latest Godzilla Outing Is Bigger and Bolder Than Ever

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Even though Godzilla x Kong: Supernova isn’t out for another year, fans of the Monsterverse have something new to enjoy! Season 2 of Monarch continues to build the Monsterverse with strong acting from Anna Sawai and Mari Yamamoto, and plenty of exciting monster action.

The first season of the show featured Cate (Anna Sawai) and Kentaro Randa (Ren Watabe), who discovered they were half-siblings through their father, Hiroshi (Takehiro Hira). Their mother, Keiko (Mari Yamamoto), was a key scientist for Monarch, but she disappeared for decades. Back in the late 1950s, Keiko studied Titans with young Bill Randa (Anders Holm) and Lee Shaw (Wyatt Russell) before getting lost in a strange place called Axis Mundi—a hidden world between our world and the Hollow Earth where time works differently. She eventually returned, seemingly after very little time had passed.

Season 1 follows Cate, her resourceful friend May (Kiersey Clemons), and a seasoned Lee (Kurt Russell) as they locate Keiko after being transported to a mysterious place called Axis Mundi. Lee bravely gives his life so Cate, Keiko, and May can escape, and they reappear in 2017, two years later. They soon discover that Apex Cybernetics – the company behind Mechagodzilla – has become powerful on Skull Island, setting the stage for the rapidly unfolding events of Season 2.

A New Titan Provides a Strong New Monsterverse Player

In Season 2 of Monarch, a formidable new Titan called X appears, having been previously encountered by Keiko, Bill, and Lee during their travels to a remote village. The season features escalating conflicts between Monarch, Apex, and several secret organizations, all converging on Skull Island. We also learn more about the world of Titans and the Axis Mundi through flashbacks and by following Keiko, Lee, and Bill’s earlier adventures over several decades.

The world of Godzilla has a rich history, and Legendary’s Monsterverse quickly built upon that foundation with new ideas like Titans, Alpha Titans, the Hollow Earth, and a variety of other creatures. Apple TV+’s Monarch has added to this expanding universe with exciting, high-quality monster action and fresh storylines. While introducing complex concepts like the time-bending Axis Mundi is ambitious, Season 2 solidifies the Monsterverse’s evolution from a simple Godzilla spin-off into a sophisticated and intelligent science fiction series.

Apple TV is a great fit for this project, as they’ve consistently supported high-quality science fiction shows like Severance, Pluribus, and Foundation. They clearly invested heavily in Monarch, making it visually stunning and action-packed, comparable to other films in the Monsterverse such as Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The Titan, Titan X, is impressively designed with fantastic special effects, making it a memorable addition to the franchise. The second season also successfully expands on the Monsterverse’s themes about the environment.

I really enjoyed the movie – the fights with the Titans were amazing, and the world felt huge and epic with some cool new stuff added. However, I think the main villain, Titanus X, could have been a bigger threat. It’s powerful, sure, but it didn’t quite give Godzilla the kind of challenging fight the series really needs. The movie focuses a lot on the humans and their plans, which wasn’t bad – it worked with Mechagodzilla before – but it did take away from the tension a little as things went on.

High Stakes & Great Performances Create an Emotional Season

Season 2 is a deeply emotional journey, focusing on the Randa siblings grappling with their father’s complicated past. We see Keiko struggling with the time she lost with her loved ones, and flashbacks reveal the challenges Bill and Keiko faced in their relationship. These situations allow the actors to deliver powerful performances, and they truly rise to the occasion. Rina Sawai shines as Cate, who is pushed to her limits by family drama and a surprising connection to Titan X. Meanwhile, Mari Yamamoto delivers a grounded and compelling performance as Keiko’s history is brought to light, with her character playing a central role this season. Both actresses deliver truly memorable and moving work that anchors the entire season.

Kurt and Wyatt Russell deliver strong performances, effectively connecting the personal family stories with the larger conflicts of the show. While Wunmi Mosaku continues to shine as May, her character doesn’t get as much focus in the first half of the season due to the introduction of many new plotlines, though she becomes increasingly important as the season progresses. Season 2 begins and concludes powerfully, and the historical storyline is particularly captivating. However, the present-day issues sometimes feel less urgent in the first half.

Season 2 of Monarch is a great watch for anyone who enjoys Godzilla or science fiction. The actors deliver strong emotional performances while still maintaining the epic scale that Godzilla fans expect. With both Godzilla Minus One and Monarch hitting the mark, it’s a really exciting time to be a fan of these franchises.

Season 2 dives into complicated ideas, and while it occasionally feels a bit unbalanced or underutilizes some characters, it manages to pull it off brilliantly. The threats to Godzilla aren’t always as intense as they could be, but the action sequences remain excellent. Overall, Monarch delivers a fantastic second season of television, hitting all the right notes.

Final Rating: 8/10

Monarch Season 2 premieres on Apple TV on February 27.

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2026-02-24 19:35